Automatic power-releasing device for draft-engines.



No. 882,419. PATBNTED MAR. 1%, 1908.

w. H. RHODES." AUTOMATIC POWER RBLEASING DEVICE FOR DRAFT ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1907.

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WILLIAM H. RHODES, OF BRANDENBURG, KENTUCKY, ASSIGN OR OI ONE-HALF TO (KNOB/GE STORMS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

AUTOMATTC POWER-RELEASING DEVICE FOR DRAFT-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. March 17, 1908.

Application filed September 24, 1907; Serial No. 39 L329.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. Rnonns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brandenburg, in the county of Meade and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic POWGI-RGlQSSlDg Devices for Draft-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for automatioally releasing the load from a horse power, traction, or other draft engine when lt'exceeds the capacity of tllNOiLd grader or weight attached to the ower, so as .to prevent a break down of the engine or to weight, article, or substance proposed to be moved because of the engine being called upon to perform work beyond its capacity.

The construction, operation, and advantages of my device will be explained herein-- after and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of my improved releasing device, showing it attached to a plow-beam; Fig. 2, a bottom view of the attaching jaws, and Fig. 3, a side view of the upper jaw on a smaller scale.

In. the drawings similar reference characters. indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A indicates a low-beam to which my improved device ereinafter described is attached, though instead of a plow any other agricultural or other draft machinery may be substituted, its draft-beam or pole, indicated by A, being provided with a draw-head B secured thereto having a cou ling-pin C removably secured in holes D t erein.

The draft device consists of an arm E having a recess e therein in which is pivotally secured the downwardly extending end f of another arm F. The free ends of arms E and F have mating recesses G G therein, th'e The arms E and F are normally held to-.

'gether by means of a rod H, having bifurcated ends 1 straddling arm F and secured to the lower arm E, as shown at '2', while its upier end is rovided with a threaded portionon whic1 is secured a nut J,fa sleeve K slidably mounted on the rod having an annular shoulder is on its upper end, and a .spring L mounted on the rod and with its two ends bearing against the topof arm F and the shoulder is. It will be understood that by regulating the tension of the spring L by adjusting .nut J the two arms may be set so that a greater or less mll thereon, when atta lied to the drawhead B, as above described, will suflice to let the arm F swing so as to release the drawhead from the power engine (not shown) attached to the drawhead M secured to the free arm E by means of pin N.

0 indicates a bar pivotally secured to beam A and having its free end provided witha notch P that engages pin N when thebeam A is coupled to the engine, as above described.

' Q indicates a clip to guide thc free end cl the bar 0 so that it engages pin N.

R indicates a sprin secured to the bottom of arm E and having a chain S secured there to which is adapted to be attached to the beam A when the machine is hitched to draft animals so as to hold the whiifletrccs by which they are hitched from dropping and striking their heels.

T indicates a spring-actuatcd pawl secured to E and V a ojcction on arm l to engage pawl T when t 1e arms are spread in releasing the power, as above described, so that the ends of the arms will be held a art while the engine or other power is bacwd up to be again attached and the pin will m-ss freely between the ends of arms E and l/Vhcn pin C strikes pawl T it is released from engagement with )rojection V so that the coupling is completed without requiring removal of the coupling pin 0 from the drawhcad B as in the original coupling operation above described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A draft-attaching device comprisingspriug-actuated arms, means to secure them to the load, and means to hold the arms apart when uncoupled from the load in position for rocoupling, substantially as shown and described.

2. A draft-attaching device comprising -s ring-actuated arms, a drawhead secured to t c load, a c'o'ipling-piu secured to the draw- 'head and engaging said arms, and means to hold the arms apart when uncoupled from the load in position for recoupling, substantially as shown and described.

' 3. A draft-attaching device comprising spring-actuated arms ivotall secured together and provided with mating recesses, a drawhead securedto the load, a couplingpin secured to said drawhead and inserted arms to the load, a

through said recesses, and means to hold the arms apart when uncoupled from the load in position for recoupling, substantially as shown and described. v

4; A draft-attaching device comprising an arm, another arm pivotally secured'thereto,

a rod having one end bifurcated and strad dling the last mentioned arm and secured to the first mentioned arm, the upper end of said rod threaded, a set-nut mounted on said threaded end, a coil-sipring on said rodand engaging said nut an otally secured arm, and means to secure said attaching device to a load so that an excess of draft will cause said arms to swing apart against the tension of said coil-spring to rea 1 lease the load, substantially as shown and described.

5. A draft-attaching device comprising an arm, another arm ivotally secured thereto, said arms provided with mating recesses, a rod having one end bifurcated and straddling the last mentioned arm and secured to the first mentioned arm, the upper end of said rod threaded, a set-nutmounted on said threaded end, a coil-s ring on said rod and engaging said nut and the edge of the pivotally secured arm, a beam secured to the load, a drawhead secured to said beam, and

a coupling-pin secured to said drawhead and,

en aging the recesses in the arms aforesaid, su stantially as shown and described.

6. A draft-attaching device comprising spring-actuated arms, means to secure said rojection on one arm, and a spring-actuated pawl on the other arm to engage said rojection when the arms are released from t e load to hold the arms in an extended position for recoupling with the load, substantially as shown and described.

the edge of the Riv- 7 A draft attaching device comprising swing-actuated arms, a drawhead secured to the load, a eoupling-pin secured to the draw head and engaging said arms, a projection on one of said arms, and a spring-actuated pawl on the other arm to enga e said ro'ection when the arms are released from the foad to hold the arms in an extended position for recoupling with the load, said pawl when en-- gaglng. said projection being in position to engage the coupling pin in recoupling, substantially asshown and described.

8. A draft attaching device comprising spring-actuated arms, pivotally secured together and provided with mating recesses, a

draft-beam having a drawhead attached thereto, a coupling-pin secured to said draw" head, spring-actuated arms pivotally secured together and provided with mating recesses to engage sair couplin pin, means to hold said arms extended w en uncoupled from said pin, a drawhead secured to one of said arms, a coupling-pin secured to said drawhead to secure it to a draft a pliance, and a bar pivotall y secured to the draft beam and having its iree end notched to engage said coupling-pin, substantially as shown anddescri ed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set .my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- DBSSBS.

WILLIAM H. RHODES.

Witnesses: v 4 WILLIAM A, BASKETT, JAMES B HoT'rELL. 

